Normalizing Expansion: Israel Sets Its Sights On Egypt’s Sinai – The Cradle

 Normalizing Expansion: Israel Sets Its Sights On Egypt’s Sinai

Israel’s ironic and brazen accusations of Egyptian treaty violations in Sinai point to a deeper agenda, raising fears of further territorial expansion by Tel Aviv and a growing threat to regional stability.

As Israel accuses Egypt of military buildup in the Sinai Peninsula, tensions between the two states – bound by their 1979 normalization treaty – are reaching a boiling point. Israeli officials and allied neoconservative think tanks are now actively escalating rhetoric alleging Cairo’s breach of the peace treaty while hinting at Tel Aviv’s ambitions to expand into Egyptian territory.

In September 2024, the Washington-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) published a report accusing Egypt of allegedly aiding Hamas through tunnels leading into Gaza to enable the Palestinian resistance movement to build its military capabilities. The charges are a stretch, given Cairo’s long-held acrimony toward Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations.

Sinai standoff intensifies

These claims were further contradicted by recently leaked documents showing Egypt’s aggressive measures to destroy over 2,000 tunnels between 2011 and 2015. Senior Egyptian military officials even explored the construction of a canal to obliterate these underground networks.

Also in September, Israeli military analyst Alon Ben-David admitted on Channel 13 News that “no single open tunnel has been found in the Egyptian territory. No single usable tunnel has been discovered under the Philadelphi Corridor.”

However, Tel Aviv’s allegations did not end there. Israel’s former ambassador to Egypt, David Govrin, has now accused Cairo of violating the normalization treaty by strengthening its military presence in the Sinai. He was quoted by Yedioth Aharonoth as saying, “after all these years, and even after 7 October 2023, questions remain about Egypt’s genuine recognition of Israel within its 1948 borders.”

On 7 January, the occupation state formally demanded explanations from Egypt regarding its military activities in Sinai, citing treaty violations related to demilitarization. The US, which brokered the 1979 treaty, joined the chorus, withholding $95 million in military aid to Egypt – a recurring tactic used to exert pressure on Cairo.

Washington then redirected those funds to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), echoing similar cuts in 2023 when Egypt-bound aid was diverted to Taiwan. The move ties with intensified pressure on Beirut, aiming to coerce and incentivize compliance with US influence over its internal affairs, especially with newly-elected President Joseph Aoun.

While Egypt’s human rights violations have been copiously documented, this is a card that the US government will routinely roll out when they want to see their North African ally play ball. It is worth noting that Egypt has historically been the second-largest US foreign aid recipient after Israel.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle

Related: 1/7- Israel Starts Inciting Against Egypt, Specifically Sinai.

10/12 – Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, Promotes A Dangerously Radical Vision Of A “Greater Israel” That Includes Not Only Palestinian Lands But Also Parts Of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, And Even Saudi Arabia.

9/16 – Netanyahu To Fire Gallant

9/13 – Israeli Army Finds Nine Tunnels From Gaza to Egypt, All Sealed on Egyptian Side Prior to War

8/22- Netanyahu At Odds With Israeli Military Over Gaza-Egypt Border

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